Well there is obviously a growing interest in hand hygiene, especially in relation to general use rather than clinical.
There was an article on the Today Programme on Radio 4 discussing a very similar thread to that in the Guardian, even utilising one of the experts stated in the Guardian piece.
The conclusion by the Radio 4 presenter was that "I am just as confused now as I was at the start"!!!
Pretty much sums up the situation.
Friday, 18 May 2012
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
The Lack of Understanding of Hand Hygiene
We read with great interest an article recently published by the Guardian, www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/may/13/do-we-really-need-hand-sanitisers
Both the article and the following comments emphasised the confusion there is over what is best practice with hand hygiene. Unquestionably there has been great strides made with the introduction of alcohol based hand rubs and the reduction of healthcare acquired infections, linked with other key infection prevention and control measures.
The article is written in a manner that hand sanitisers equals alcohol based products, as we know there are a number of key issues related to the use of such products, some noted in the article but it is the companies who produce these types of hand sanitisers which benefit from the current confusion.
There are alternatives which are readily available which are non alcohol based, such as the Esense Antimicrobial Hand Rub and Natural Esense Hand Rub. These types of products offer a number of benefits over the alcohol based rubs currently used. and are seeing an increasing uptake in use when these benefits have been realised.
To pick out all the "confused" points in the Guardian article would make this blog posting far too long, however two points really jumped off the page.
Firstly from an experts comment, "These sanitisers state that they kill 99.9% of germs, but the difficulty is that the data was done on inanimate surfaces and they do not replicate what happens on the human hand". This is not the case, the European Standard for testing hand sanitisers, EN1500 which is required to sell such products is conducted using a test standard number of pairs of hands.
The second point would relate to the comment "Spread of Diarrhoea and gastrointestinal illness can almost be halved by practising effective hand hygiene", I would suggest this leans more to the use of anti-microbial hand washes and water. Why? because the really aggressive pathogens such as Norovirus and Clostridium Difficle are not "killed" by using alcohol based hand rubs. Some will argue that Norovirus is but there is currently no definitive answer. NICE as does many other bodies, recommends the use of hand wash and water when these two pathogens are present.
They are the main cause of ward closures in the UK and many other countries, yet we still see the current hand sanitiser of choice ABHR's being used by healthcare workers, support staff and visitors to try and combat the spread of such pathogens.
So the confusion remains, not really clarified by this article. The alternatives to ABHR's which have been extensively tested, and potentially not the ones readily available over the counter, are shown to be certainly equal to or better than ABHR's in efficacy and offer a number of key benefits.
Both the article and the following comments emphasised the confusion there is over what is best practice with hand hygiene. Unquestionably there has been great strides made with the introduction of alcohol based hand rubs and the reduction of healthcare acquired infections, linked with other key infection prevention and control measures.
The article is written in a manner that hand sanitisers equals alcohol based products, as we know there are a number of key issues related to the use of such products, some noted in the article but it is the companies who produce these types of hand sanitisers which benefit from the current confusion.
There are alternatives which are readily available which are non alcohol based, such as the Esense Antimicrobial Hand Rub and Natural Esense Hand Rub. These types of products offer a number of benefits over the alcohol based rubs currently used. and are seeing an increasing uptake in use when these benefits have been realised.
To pick out all the "confused" points in the Guardian article would make this blog posting far too long, however two points really jumped off the page.
Firstly from an experts comment, "These sanitisers state that they kill 99.9% of germs, but the difficulty is that the data was done on inanimate surfaces and they do not replicate what happens on the human hand". This is not the case, the European Standard for testing hand sanitisers, EN1500 which is required to sell such products is conducted using a test standard number of pairs of hands.
The second point would relate to the comment "Spread of Diarrhoea and gastrointestinal illness can almost be halved by practising effective hand hygiene", I would suggest this leans more to the use of anti-microbial hand washes and water. Why? because the really aggressive pathogens such as Norovirus and Clostridium Difficle are not "killed" by using alcohol based hand rubs. Some will argue that Norovirus is but there is currently no definitive answer. NICE as does many other bodies, recommends the use of hand wash and water when these two pathogens are present.
They are the main cause of ward closures in the UK and many other countries, yet we still see the current hand sanitiser of choice ABHR's being used by healthcare workers, support staff and visitors to try and combat the spread of such pathogens.
So the confusion remains, not really clarified by this article. The alternatives to ABHR's which have been extensively tested, and potentially not the ones readily available over the counter, are shown to be certainly equal to or better than ABHR's in efficacy and offer a number of key benefits.
Monday, 30 April 2012
Ebiox Completes Water Sterilisation Distribution Agreement
Ebiox are extremely excited to announce the completion of a global distribution agreement (excluding North and South America) for the Water Sterilisation technology developed by Citrox. The agreement covers both healthcare and leisure markets.
The Water Sterilisation product is based on a solution which contains a patented antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and sporicidal complex of natural bioflavanoids mixed with fruit acids.
Shown to be highly effective in killing the micro-organisms that could contaminate water, the Ebiox Water Sterilisation Solution is perfect for sterilising in a variety of different applications including, drinking water, water storage containers and water systems.
The Ebiox Water Sterilisation Solution is plant derived and is non-toxic, non-corrosive, organic, biodegradable as well as environmentally friendly as oppossed to other solutions which are based on chlorine and hypochlorite.
It is completely non-harmful. After sterilisation, water remains untainted and can be used for drinking, boiling and showering as normal.
The profile of illnesses sourced from contaminated water is beginning to rise, especially in relation to psuedomonas outbreaks. It is the strategy of Ebiox to be able to offer key markets a solution package for Infection Prevention and Control, the Water Sterilisation product compliments this strategy extremely well.
The Water Sterilisation product is based on a solution which contains a patented antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and sporicidal complex of natural bioflavanoids mixed with fruit acids.
Shown to be highly effective in killing the micro-organisms that could contaminate water, the Ebiox Water Sterilisation Solution is perfect for sterilising in a variety of different applications including, drinking water, water storage containers and water systems.
The Ebiox Water Sterilisation Solution is plant derived and is non-toxic, non-corrosive, organic, biodegradable as well as environmentally friendly as oppossed to other solutions which are based on chlorine and hypochlorite.
It is completely non-harmful. After sterilisation, water remains untainted and can be used for drinking, boiling and showering as normal.
The profile of illnesses sourced from contaminated water is beginning to rise, especially in relation to psuedomonas outbreaks. It is the strategy of Ebiox to be able to offer key markets a solution package for Infection Prevention and Control, the Water Sterilisation product compliments this strategy extremely well.
Monday, 19 March 2012
New Tests for Trionic Products
User Demands Are Met With New Testing
Ebiox has commissioned more extensive tests as users demand stringent testing of products claiming to have an impact on Healthcare Acquired Infections.
We can report strong passes of the test protocols set by the European Standards, EN13624, EN13727 and EN14348. These cover the Trionic products A2Z, Spray and Wipes.
Jeff Smith, Ebiox’s Commercial Director, said “It is key we keep our product testing up to date ensuring that we meet the highest standards giving confidence of the products efficacy to our current and new users”.
The new test reports can be downloaded as pdf files from http://www.ebiox.co.uk
Ebiox has commissioned more extensive tests as users demand stringent testing of products claiming to have an impact on Healthcare Acquired Infections.
We can report strong passes of the test protocols set by the European Standards, EN13624, EN13727 and EN14348. These cover the Trionic products A2Z, Spray and Wipes.
Jeff Smith, Ebiox’s Commercial Director, said “It is key we keep our product testing up to date ensuring that we meet the highest standards giving confidence of the products efficacy to our current and new users”.
The new test reports can be downloaded as pdf files from http://www.ebiox.co.uk
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
The Use of Alcohol Based Hand Rubs and the Outbreaks of Norovirus.
Every year the outbreaks in our hospitals just here in the UK of Norovirus (Winter Vomiting Bug) has a major impact on patients health outcomes, smooth operation of wards impacted by closures, the cost of related to these patient health, ward closures, deep cleaning, staff sickness and so on.
It is a well known fact that Alcohol Based Hand Rubs have very little if at all any impact on the control of Norovirus and the key vehicle for spreading the virus is our hands.
With the outbreak of Norovirus in the hospital and care environment staff, patients and visitors are rightly so encouraged to be diligent about hand hygiene, but how many of those using the ABHR dispensers know that really and truly they are having no impact on the spread of Norovirus by hand transmission.
The use of ABHR's has become a routine practice particularly surrounding the five moments of hand hygiene issued by the WHO. This without doubt has had a major impact on Healthcare Acquired Infections, but it is not the "be all and end all". For the same reasons ABHR's came to the fore hand washing with soap and water itself throws up a number of issues.
So it is time to continue to educate everyone about hand hygiene it's importance and viable products to use to enable high compliance of use and a true broad spectrum efficacy.
There should be questions being asked about current practice and products used as the outbreaks of Norovirus continue to interrupt healthcare systems in many countries.
Why are the CDC continuing to recommend solely the use of ABHR's when the following statement has been made by a key member:
sales@ebiox.co.uk
It is a well known fact that Alcohol Based Hand Rubs have very little if at all any impact on the control of Norovirus and the key vehicle for spreading the virus is our hands.
Infection: prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections in primary and community care.
Commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
Highlights of recommendations proposed for primary and community care:
Decontaminate hands preferably with a hand rub (conforming to current British Standards),
except in the following circumstances, when liquid soap and water must be used:
When hands are visibly soiled or potentially contaminated with body fluids or in clinical situations where there is potential for the spread of alcohol-resistant organisms (such as norovirus, Clostridium difficile, or organisms that cause diarrhoeal illness).
For many years the use of ABHR's has been pushed as a method of hand hygiene and now is seen as a replacement for hand washing by healthcare workers, patients and visitors. With the visibility of so many dispensers there is a false "security" of the use of ABHR's surrounding Norovirus. People believe they are doing the right thing.With the outbreak of Norovirus in the hospital and care environment staff, patients and visitors are rightly so encouraged to be diligent about hand hygiene, but how many of those using the ABHR dispensers know that really and truly they are having no impact on the spread of Norovirus by hand transmission.
The use of ABHR's has become a routine practice particularly surrounding the five moments of hand hygiene issued by the WHO. This without doubt has had a major impact on Healthcare Acquired Infections, but it is not the "be all and end all". For the same reasons ABHR's came to the fore hand washing with soap and water itself throws up a number of issues.
So it is time to continue to educate everyone about hand hygiene it's importance and viable products to use to enable high compliance of use and a true broad spectrum efficacy.
There should be questions being asked about current practice and products used as the outbreaks of Norovirus continue to interrupt healthcare systems in many countries.
Why are the CDC continuing to recommend solely the use of ABHR's when the following statement has been made by a key member:
A survey of 161 long-term care facilities in the United States presented at an American College of Preventative Medicine meeting in February revealed an association between the preferential use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers for routine hand hygiene with an increased risk for outbreaks of norovirus, the highly infectious virus that causes most cases of acute gastroenteritis
Of the 45 facilities that reported preferential use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers in a recent survey, 53% experienced a confirmed outbreak of norovirus, compared with 18% of the 17 facilities that used hand sanitizers less often than soap and water.
"...these findings indicate that alcohol-based hand sanitizers might be “suboptimal in controlling the spread of noroviruses,” said Dr. David Blaney of the Epidemic Intelligence Service at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Of the 45 facilities that reported preferential use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers in a recent survey, 53% experienced a confirmed outbreak of norovirus, compared with 18% of the 17 facilities that used hand sanitizers less often than soap and water.
"...these findings indicate that alcohol-based hand sanitizers might be “suboptimal in controlling the spread of noroviruses,” said Dr. David Blaney of the Epidemic Intelligence Service at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
What is an alternative, Natural Esense from Ebiox Ltd UK.
www.ebiox.co.uksales@ebiox.co.uk
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
Ebiox Looking to Expand into The Far East. Distributors Required.
Ebiox is looking to expand it's distributor base into The Far East so we are looking for appropriate partners to grow our succesful product portfolio.
I look forward to hearing from you in the future.
Best Regards
We are a company based in the UK developing, manufacturing and marketing a range of infection control products.
We have an evolving distributor network which we are growing with a controlled and strategic approach. Our portfolio continues to expand with what we believe are innovative products. We are about to launch a new Hand Hygiene and Surgical Disinfection rub which is developed using only naturally based actives and ingredients.
We are looking for distributors in your region and would be keen to see if there is any potential for developing a distributor partnership with you. I look forward to hearing from you in the future.
Best Regards
Paul
Paul Blenkinsopp
Sales and Marketing Director
Ebiox Limited
+44 7775 731198
Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Ebiox Looking to Expand into Eastern Europe. Distributors Required.
Ebiox is looking to expand it's distributor base into Eastern Europe and we are looking for appropriate partners to grow our succesful product portfolio.
I look forward to hearing from you in the future.
Best Regards
We are a company based in the UK developing, manufacturing and marketing a range of infection control products.
We have an evolving distributor network which we are growing with a controlled and strategic approach. Our portfolio continues to expand with what we believe are innovative products. We are about to launch a new Hand Hygiene and Surgical Disinfection rub which is developed using only naturally based actives and ingredients.
We are looking for distributors in your region and would be keen to see if there is any potential for developing a distributor partnership with you. I look forward to hearing from you in the future.
Best Regards
Paul
Paul Blenkinsopp
Sales and Marketing Director
Ebiox Limited
+44 7775 731198
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